Lies, Damned Lies, and History

By: Jodi Taylor

Narrated by: Zara Ramm

The seventh book in the bestselling Chronicles of St Mary's series which follows a group of tea-soaked disaster magnets as they hurtle their way around History. If you love Jasper Fforde or Ben Aaronovitch, you won't be able to resist Jodi Taylor.

Rules are meant to be broken, aren't they?

'I've done some stupid things in my time. I've been reckless. I've broken a few rules. But never before have I ruined so many lives or left such a trail of destruction behind me.'

Max has never been one for rules. They tend to happen to other people.

But this time she's gone too far. And everyone at St Mary's is paying the price.

With the History Department disintegrating around her and grounded until the end of time, how can she ever put things right?

(P) 2016 Audible, Ltd©2016 Jodi Taylor

Critic reviews

Takes readers on a carnival ride through laughter and tears with a bit of time travel thrown in for spice

A true page-turner

I've never seen time travel handled this way. I like it

[An] appealing cast of characters... [with] with plenty of humour, lots of action, and even a touch of romance

Excellent, as always!

Couldn't put it down. I am continually impressed with Taylor's ability to create new situations and develop characters even further.

Too Many Improbable Things

I really enjoy this series. Jodi Taylor has great characters and interesting stories with historical tidits thrown in. Zara Ramm is a great narrator and gives each character a unique voice that you recognize even during uninterrupted dialogue

My quibble with this book is that it sets up two situations with horrible consequences, and then the consequences do not happen. The first situation resolves without any real explanation of why the consequences never occur. The second situation resolves in a reaonable enough manner. But the lack of explanation for the first resolution and the immediate follow-up with another narrow escape seems too improbable and contrived.

I know, I am complaining about lack of realism in a series about time-traveling historians. That is why I classify it as a quibble. But usually Jodi keeps a higher level of internal consistency, and this one felt pasted-over. As if it was written into a corner and then the solution was too much trouble to deal with. If there was less build-up to the first situation, it would not have bothered me. But the huge build-up followed by a squib instead of an explosion felt intellectually dishonest.

Still, an enjoyable book and I already have the next two books in the series.

The latest installment in a wonderful series

loved it. Dr. Barstow is a flat out genius. Leon is the ideal man. And I love both Peterson and Markham. Bot Max TAKES THE CAKE... if it is chocolate.

Another winner

I love listening to Max telling the latest. Zara Ramm does a fabulous job. Looking forward to the next in the series.

Love this series and this narrator

The St. Mary's books are a fun romp, peppered with real historical details, real flawed human characters, and supernatural phenomena. The narrator really makes this series for me!